OCTA Board Approves $1.16 Billion Balanced Budget

The 2016-17 fiscal year budget includes bus service improvements and continues to to deliver Measure M projects

ORANGE – The Orange County Transportation Authority Board of Directors approved a balanced $1.16 billion budget for the upcoming year during its meeting on Monday.

The 2016-17 budget encompasses all services, projects and programs that are administered by OCTA.

A major initiative for the budget includes an effort to increase bus ridership through implementation of OC Bus 360°, a program aimed at improving bus service and increasing the efficiency of bus travel throughout the county. This includes an increase in marketing efforts and the deferral of a planned fare increase.

In addition, the budget includes funding to advance the I-405 Improvement Project and for the OC Streetcar, two major capital projects that are currently being developed by OCTA.

“OCTA’s balanced budget for the upcoming year fulfills the promises made to voters who approved Measure M, our half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements,” said OCTA Chair Lori Donchak. “This budget will allow us to improve connectivity throughout the county, whether residents choose to drive, bike, walk or ride the bus or train.”

Funding allocations for the budget include:

$345.1 million for countywide bus service

$183.2 million for streets and roads improvements

$230.4 million for freeway projects

$10.5 million for environmental cleanup

This balanced budget is a result of OCTA’s mission to deliver long-term sustainable transportation solutions for the residents of Orange County.

OCTA is the county’s transportation agency, responsible for planning, financing and coordinating Orange County’s freeway, street and rail development, as well as managing the countywide bus and rail service, the 91 Express Lanes and Orange County’s Taxi Administration.

Voice of OC posts press releases to provide readers with information directly from organizations. We do not edit or rewrite press releases, and encourage readers to contact the originator of a given release for more information. To submit a press release email pressreleases@voiceofoc.org

FILED UNDER:

RELATED STORIES

A former clerk of the Orange County Superior Court was sentenced today to 135 months in federal prison for orchestrating a scheme in which he was paid approximately $420,000 dollars in bribes to “fix” criminal cases and traffic offenses on terms favorable to hundreds of defendants without the knowledge of prosecutors or judges.

Responding to the release of a newly created ‘fact sheet’ at the last San Clemente City Council meeting on Sept. 5, 2017, the Save San Onofre Coalition responded forcefully to the document that, at best, is misleading and, at worst, is deliberately spreading inaccurate information about the intent of the City Council’s toll road lawsuit to San Clemente residents.

The Orange County District Attorney’s Office (OCDA) Special Prosecutions Unit announced that it has debunked the false information put out by the Fair Punishment Project (FPP), a newly formed group affiliated with Harvard Law School, when it fact-checked the report as part of the Unit’s conviction integrity function. The public is being misled about the record and the integrity of the prosecutors in the OCDA.